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You probably realize that this is the same model as most web sites on the internet and none of the banners or links should in any way be interpreted as guarantees or endorsements of the products or services offered. You should do your own research before you make any purchases.

We take this very seriously, because H1N1 is a very serious problem. We are not medical professionals, but we have tried to take the best information available from the CDC and other government sources and put it into easy to understand language. However, nothing on this site should be interpreted as medical advice.

If you believe that you or someone you care about might be suffering from H1N1, please seek IMMEDIATE medical attention.

The health insurance angle to the swine flu pandemic in the United States is amazing.

Very few average people are considering their health insurance, because it is not as interesting or exciting as the issues around the symptoms and treatment of the illness.

However, medical insurance is an issue that many public health officials and journalists are concerned about. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is encouraging consumers to review their health care plans as they relate to the so-called Swine Flu.

Many state health agencies are urging people to check their insurance, and, in fact, the information on this page is largely drawn from health insurance checklists drawn up by the states of Ohio and Michigan.

Kathy Kristoff of CBS Moneywatch notes that, “Those who do have insurance are finding that their coverage varies widely, with some companies covering the treatment in full and others demanding large co-payments.”

According to another recent report California insurance companies deny an average of 21% of all claims, so you need to know your coverage.

Understand Your Health Insurance coverage

It’s always important to understand just what you health insurance policy covers, but with the potential for an increased demand for health care services, you need to be even more aware of your specific plan details. Read your policy carefully and consider the following questions:

• Do you have a cost-sharing responsibility for flu vaccinations? Many health insurance policies have co-payments for seasonal flu vaccinations.
• Ask your insurance company if you will have a co-pay for the seasonal flu vaccine and what the cost will be.
• Is the vaccination covered by your insurance? The seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 flu vaccine are normally administered separately. The U.S. government is covering the cost of the H1N1 vaccine, but you may be charged its administration. Check with your insurance company to see if your coverage includes the seasonal flu vaccine and extends to the administration of the H1N1 vaccine.
• What is your co-payment for the most common H1N1 treatments? The two drugs doctors can prescribe to treat H1N1 flu are Tamiflu and Relenza.
• In addition, you should know of any limitations on the number of doses covered by your policy – per prescription or per year.
• Is your coverage accepted at walk-in care facilities? If your area is heavily affected by the spread of the H1N1 flu outbreak, your regular physician might not be able to see you in a timely manner.
• What is your out-of-network co-payment? If you must go to an out-of-network provider, be aware you will likely pay a higher co-payment for your office visit and any tests run during the visit.
• Check with your insurance company to determine if you have coverage for vaccines received at drug stores, employers’ offices and schools. Some health plans, including Medicare Advantage plans, only provide coverage for vaccines received from designated providers.

Be prepared in case you or a family member do become infected:

• Have your health insurance ID card readily available.
• Review your health insurance policy provisions. Know which doctors and hospitals are in your network.
• Make note of your co-payments. Know how much a doctor’s office visit will cost.
• Keep handy a list of pharmacies and medications covered under your policy.
• If you have plans to travel, make sure you check to see if there are any doctors or medical facilities in-network where you will be visiting.
• Ask your employer or insurance company for any and all applicable health insurance information that might be available to you in a simple-to-reference format.
• Post this information where it can easily be accessed by everyone.

Best Bets For H1N1 Coverage

However, some insurance companies are taking action positive action. Tim Bireley, VP, Guardian Group Medical, the health insurance division of the Gaurdian Group Life Insurance Company of America said, “Guardian decided to cover the costs associated with administering the vaccine…” That’s a very good sign if you are covered by the Guardian, but you are still only covered for actual treatments if you become ill with Swine Flu under the specific provisions of your individual plan.”

Aetna, United Health Care, and several other companies have also made similar decisions, but you should definitely review your policy.

Here’s a report from the state of Texas on what H1N1 related expenses insurance companies in that state are covering: Texas Health Insurance Companies

Remember, the coverage might be different in your state, so check your companies web site.  Generally, the companies that are covering H1N1 expenses are announcing the  fact prominently on the front page of their company’s web site.

Short Term Insurance

You might also consider a short term plan if you are uninsured or short term additional coverage if you are already insured, particularly from one of the companies that have said the y will cover H1N1 expenses.

Remember, H1N1 is not a pre-existing condition and if you are otherwise healthy you could probably easily buy a short term additional coverage. Then when the threat has lessened you simply let the coverage lapse.

Costs vary depending on your age, smoking habits, and where you live. In a recent test for short term rates on eHealthInsurance a company that compares rates online, a single thirty-year-old non-smoking male living in the greater Los Angeles area were as cheap as $68.00 a month and only $41.00 a month if that person lived in rural Missouri.

eHealthInsurance can give you a free quote.  All you have to do is simply fill out a short application.

It’s definitely worth taking a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire.  You don’t have to buy anything, but you will get  a much better idea of how good your insurance coverage really is and what it would cost for additional coverage.

However, remember there is more to health insurance than the cost, so be sure to check on deductibles, coverage, co-pays, and the other details.

It is understandable that H1N1 is a particular concern for parents, because the first cases of H1N1 in the United States, initially reported as  Swine Flu in the media,  included many school-aged children.  Outbreaks were often centered around schools, often among students that had visited Mexico.

This was especially concerning, because the early information from Mexico seemed nearly apocalyptic.  There were numerous reports of otherwise healthy young adults who were hospitalized with rapidly progressive pneumonia, frequently resulting in respiratory failure and occasionally death.

That set off a frenzy among parents, but the current situation is not nearly as dire as was believed possible from the early reports.  This is a serious situation, but there is no reason to panic.  Read the rest of this page and perhaps even print it for easy reference.  If you recognize the symptoms and treat it correctly most people infected with H1N1, including children, fully recover within two or three weeks.

The H1N1 Pandemic In The United States

Most people, including children, infected with the H1N1 virus in the United States have had MILD disease, but some have had more severe illness, and young children, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease may be at higher risk for complications from this infection. However, there are steps you can take to protect your family and to know when to seek medical care.

The symptoms of H1N1 flu are similar to the symptoms of regular flu. They include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Chills and fatigue
• Body aches
• Headache
• Occasionally, vomiting and diarrhea

These are the same basic symptoms as adults, but there are some specific concerns with children.

H1N1 Symptoms In Children

Young children may have difficulty breathing and low activity, but few other symptoms. There is little is known about how H1N1 may affect children. However, the infection may be similar to other flu infections.

Typically, common seasonal flu infections cause mild cases in children, however parents should always pay special attention to children under 5 years of age, because they are more likely to become seriously ill than older children. Rarely, severe respiratory illness (pneumonia) and deaths occur with flu infections in children, and obviously flu infections tend to be more severe in children with chronic medical conditions.

If your child is under five years of age or has a serious pre-existing condition pay extra attention to the possibility of H1N1.

Prevention

H1N1, like all flu viruses, spreads from person to person mainly through the coughing or sneezing of a sick person. H1N1 may also spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with the virus and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Generally, it is believed that H1N1 spreads the same way as other flu viruses. Right now, there is no vaccine available to protect against H1N1, but everyday actions can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like H1N1:

• Be sure your children wash their hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds. Teach them by setting a good example, but also because you can infect your children through unsanitary practices.
• Children should be taught to cough and sneeze into a tissue or into the inside of their elbow, and you should set the example for them.
Teach your children to stay away from people who are sick.
• Sick children should stay home from school and daycare and until they are better.
• If you live in a community where H1N1 has occurred, stay away from shopping malls, movie theaters, or other places where there are large groups of people.

Having said all of this it appears that prevention will be very difficult, because of the nature of this virus.  In fact, the current best practice appears NOT to always close schools at the first signs of infection among students.  So, listen closely to the educators and public health officials in your community and if they do close schools KEEP your child at home.  Remember, it is pointless to close schools if students are still going to go out in public.

If Your Child Is Sick

Keep sick children at home unless they must go out for medical attention. Do not send them to school or daycare.
Be sure that they drink plenty of liquids, because dehydration is a major concern with the flu.
  Rest and comfort are important for sick children.

Use fever‐reducing medicines that your doctor recommends based on your child’s age. However, DO NOT use aspirin with children or teenagers; it can cause Reye’s syndrome, a life‐threatening illness.

Keep sick members of you family away from those that are not sick.

Be sure that the sick person has tissues available for coughing and sneezing and have a trash bag within reach for disposing used tissues.

If your child does come into contact with someone with H1N1, ask your doctor if he or she should receive antiviral medicines to prevent getting sick from H1N1.

If your child, particularly small children, exhibits any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care:

• Trouble breathing, including rapid breathing.
• Gray or bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being irritable and not wanting to be held
• Not urinating or no tears when crying
• The symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Prevention of H1N1 is actually easy for most people to understand, because, like all flu viruses, H1N1 spreads from person to person, mainly through the coughing or sneezing of a sick person. H1N1 may also spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with the virus and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

The H1N1 vaccine is under development and should begin to be available in large numbers in several months, but currently simple public health measures offer the best protection against H1N1.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. Hand washing seems simple, but, remember, medical students actually are taught how to wash their hands, so make a real effort, because it’s a cheap, simple, and a highly effective way to prevent yourself from becoming infected with the H1N1 virus.
• Be careful touching your eyes, nose or mouth, because the H1N1 virus is often spread when a person touches a contaminated object and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth. Be particularly aware of door handles and computer keyboards, because these surfaces are almost impossible to keep free of a tough virus like H1N1.
• If possible avoid the company of people who are sick, especially if they are already suffering H1N1 Flu symptoms.
  However, if you are a care-giver be doubly vigilant about washing your hands and protecting yourself from infection.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a facial tissue when sneezing or coughing, or “sneeze in your elbow.”  
If you are sick, stay home from work, school, church, or other public places, because you will help prevent others from catching H1N1.  Essentially, be polite.
• If you live in a community where H1N1 has occurred, stay away from shopping malls, movie theaters, or other places where there are large groups of people.   Although, exercise is great for you overall,  gyms are perfect breeding grounds for viruses like H1N1 and you should probably avoid them if there is an ongoing outbreak of H1N1 Flu in your area.

Swine Flu News

• Infectivity phenotypes of H3N2 influenza A viruses in primary swine respiratory epithelial cells are controlled by sialic acid binding - Conclusions  Sialic acid binding was the sole stage where virus differences directly paralleled infectivity phenotypes in SRECs, indicating that binding is the primary mechanism responsible for differences in the infectivity levels of Sw/MN and Sw/ONT. (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

  MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

• Influenza and Community-acquired Pneumonia Interactions: The Impact of Order and Time of Infection on Population Patterns - Discoveries made during the 1918 influenza A pandemic and reports of severe disease associated with coinfection during the 2009 hemagglutinin type 1 and neuraminidase type 1 (commonly known as H1N1 or swine flu) pandemic have renewed interest in the role of coinfection in disease pathogenesis. The authors assessed how various timings of coinfection with influenza virus and pneumonia-causing bacteria could affect the severity of illness at multiple levels of interaction, including the biologic and population levels. Animal studies most strongly support a single pathway of coinfection with influenza inoculation occurring approximately 7 days before inoculation with Streptococcus pneumoniae, but less-examined pathways of infection also may be important for human disease. The authors discussed...
• Bird flu virus reports to stay secret - Two studies into deadly mutation of H5N1 virus will be published only after experts assess risks, says World Health OrganisationTwo studies showing how scientists mutated the H5N1 bird flu virus into a form that could cause a deadly human pandemic will be published only after experts fully assess the risks, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday.Speaking after a meeting of flu experts and US security officials in Geneva, a WHO spokesman said an agreement had been reached to keep details of the controversial work secret until deeper risk analyses have been carried out.The WHO called the meeting to break a deadlock between scientists who studied the mutations needed to make H5N1 bird flu transmit between mammals, and the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (Nsabb )...
• Study on the initial velocity distribution of exhaled air from coughing and speaking. - The objective of this study was to analyze the initial velocity and the angle of the exhaled airflow from coughing and speaking of 17 males and 9 females using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and acrylic indoor chamber. The results showed that the average initial coughing velocity was 15.3m/s for the males and 10.6m/s for the females, while the average initial speaking velocity was 4.07m/s and 2.31m/s respectively. The angle of the exhaled air from coughing was around 38° for the males and 32° for the females, while that of the exhaled air from speaking was around 49° and 78° respectively. Also, the linear relation between the tested subject's height and their coughing and speaking velocity was shown in this study. PMID: 22342283 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Chemos...
• Transmission of influenza A(H1N1) 2009 pandemic viruses in Australian swine - Conclusions  This is the first report of swine infected with influenza in Australia and marked the end of the influenza‐free era for the Australian swine industry. Although no reassortment was detected in these cases, the ability of these viruses to cross between pigs and humans highlights the importance of monitoring swine for novel influenza infections. (Source: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses)

US Government Feed

• WHO Landmark Global Agreement on Flu Virus Sharing Improves Global Preparedness for Influenza Pandemics - After a week of negotiations continued through Friday night and into Saturday morning, an open-ended working-group meeting of Member States successfully agreed upon a framework to ensure that in a pandemic, influenza virus samples will be shared with partners who need the information to take steps to protect public health.
• U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)Funds Advanced Development of New Influenza Antiviral - A contract has been awarded to develop a long-acting single-dose antiviral drug for use in the United States, the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced today.
• New Consumer-Focused Immunization Website, www.vaccines.gov - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled an innovative new website to help parents and other consumers learn about the most effective way to protect themselves and their children from infectious diseases and learn about immunization.
• Guidance for the Prevention and Control of Influenza in the Peri- and Postpartum Settings - Guidance for the Prevention and Control of Influenza in the Peri- and Postpartum Settings
• Research Shows Single Change in H1N1 Virus Makes the Virus Bind More Easily to Human Cells and Transmits the Virus More Efficiently in Ferrets - The 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus continues to circulate among the human population as the predominant H1N1 subtype.

UN Feed

• Influenza update - 03 June 2011
• Influenza update - 20 May 2011
• Influenza update - 06 May 2011
• Influenza update - 21 April 2011
• Influenza update - 08 April 2011

Medical News

• Clinical Notes: Beware the Seat Heater - ALLMedPage Today debuts a new regular feature, a roundup of clinical news you might otherwise have missed. This week we led with a report that heated car seats can leave passengers with "toasted skin syndrome."
• Flu Activity on Rise but Still Low - It has been a mild flu season so far, but influenza activity has gradually started to increase in recent weeks, the CDC reports.
• Flu Vaccine for Pregnant Mom Helps Babies - When influenza viruses were circulating, vaccination of pregnant women against flu was associated with healthier babies, a post hoc analysis of a randomized trial showed.
• WHO Urges Full Flu Papers Be Published - Two controversial papers on influenza research should be published in full, but not soon, according to an international gathering of scientists convened by the World Health Organization.
• Faulty Safety Feature Triggers New Tylenol Recall - Problems with a safety feature recently added to bottles of grape-flavored liquid infant Tylenol have prompted its maker to recall more than half a million bottles.

Dr. Margret Chan, Director, World Health Organization

June 11, 2009

Thankfully, Dr. Chan was wrong!  Yes, the H1N1 virus is serious, but it is now obvious that there are things that you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your community from the impact of the H1N1 virus.

However, we do need to stay aware of the possibility of new cases of Swine Flu during the next few months.  According to some experts the H1N1 virus might reemerge in March or April, so you do need to stay aware of the latest H1N1 news.

Swine Flu News Tracker

Our Swine Flu News Tracker in pulls the latest stories from the government, medical, and scientific press, so there are a lot of stories over there that you will never see in your local newspaper or on Yahoo! News.

In fact, the Swine Flu News Tracker covers the primary sources that journalists use when they are covering H1N1, so you might want to bookmark it and check back regularly, particularly if you are involved in public health.

Symptoms of H1N1

The symptoms of H1N1 in people are similar to the symptoms of common seasonal flu. The common symptoms of H1N1 Flu include:

• Fever – particularly a fever of over 100 degrees
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Chills and fatigue
• Body aches
• Headache
• Occasionally, vomiting and diarrhea

Persons who experience flu-like symptoms should immediately contact their physician, but, remember, Swine Flu is a highly contagious disease and people who believe they are infected with H1N1 should avoid going out in public unless absolutely necessary. So, call first.

H1N1 Warning Signs

People at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu, including people over the age 65, and children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as diabetes, or heart disease), and people who are infected with HIV should be extra vigilant in looking for the symptoms of H1N1.

However, anyone with asthma or other respiratory illness, and perhaps even heavy smokers should be extra vigilant, because what makes severe cases of H1N1 more severe than regular flu is the way that it attacks the respiratory system. Seasonal flu is largely an upper respiratory illness, but in severe cases H1N1 moves deeper into the lungs and causes viral pneumonia. It is the complications from the pneumonia that has caused the vast majority of Swine Flu deaths.

Because young children often cannot explain how they are feeling it especially important to keep an eye out for children who are having difficulty breathing.

If any person, but particularly small children and others in high risk groups, exhibit any of the following serious warning signs, seek immediate emergency medical care:

• Trouble breathing, including rapid breathing.
• Gray or bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Sleeping constantly and not interacting when awake
• Being especially irritable
• Not urinating or no tears when crying
• The symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

H1N1 Symptoms: Summary

Nearly, everything you learned about the symptoms of traditional flu is true of H1N1 Flu, but you should also look for the beginning of pneumonia type symptoms, particularly among anyone has a pre-existing respiratory illness.

In simple layman’s terms the severe cases of Swine Flu are basically the seasonal flu and viral pneumonia. Most cases are NOT severe, but the worse cases can be fatal, usually because of respiratory complications.

What worries public health professionals is that the vaccine for H1N1 is not widely available yet, though one is being manufactured, and the vaccine for the regular flu will not be effective against this newly discovered strain.

Also, that means, if the vaccines are available, you will need two flu shots to be fully protected from both H1N1 and the normal seasonal variety of the flu.

Finally, the simple fact that the virus is new is a real concern, because there is concern that it might mutate into something more deadly. Remember, the regular seasonal flu strain kills hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year, and, so, even if H1N1 turns out to be no more virulent than the regular flu that is still an awful disaster on the grandest scale.

At this point it is hard to know what the ultimate out come of the H1N1 pandemic will be. Be prepared, but don’t panic.

Products For Treatment of H1N1

There are numerous products on the market designed to prevent or for treatment of H1N1. Some of these products may be great, but consumers need to be VERY wary of products that make extraordinary claims. The H1N1 pandemic has brought out all sorts of kooks and con men offering instant cures.

In the United States the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration have teamed up to crack down on business making unsubstantiated medical claims. Download a PDF list of business and products censured by the FDA.

Some advocates of alternative medicine and supporters of consumers making their own medical decisions have railed against the FDA for being overly aggressive, because they generally require expensive, time-consuming peer-reviewed scientific studies before they will approve a product for use.

Though, it is easy to understand the frustration of people who want to make their own decisions about their personal health care, the FDA is trying to prevent the sort of medical fraud that can kill people.

Furthermore, consumers should carefully research any product and come to their own conclusion before making a purchase.

With that disclaimer in mind, here are the products and services that most well educated consumers should probably consider.

Air Purifiers

Air purifiers are sometimes used in laboratory settings to control airborne infection, but the FDA does NOT recommend air purifiers to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus, apparently because it is unrealistic to assume anyone actually lives in a sterile laboratory.  Frankly, that makes a lot of sense.

Furthermore, they have reprimanded several manufactures of air purifiers for making unverified claims, but CleanAir4Life.com offers a variety of air purifiers that they assert eliminate viruses, including the H1N1 virus. They make some very strong claims, but they also offer a lot of compelling evidence, particularly for the Airfree models.

However, you should remember that even a perfect air purifier is worthless if you do not follow good standards of hygiene and public health.

Medical Supplies

There are also a lot of choices for medical supplies, such as masks, disinfectants, and hand cleaners. Frankly, you can probably buy most items you might need at your local pharmacy or supermarket, but if you believe you need hospital quality medical supplies you should price them at iMed.com

Medical masks are probably the most common item that you might want to order from a medical supply company, because if you are going to the effort to wear a mask you probably want to go ahead and buy form fitting hospital quality masks, known as N95 respirators, which might not be easily available in your local drugstore.

However, you should note that the experts are not sure how effective even the N95 masks are at preventing the spread of H1N1.

Medication

The FDA has approved the prescription antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for the treatment of H1N1 Flu. You probably want to purchase these and other prescription medication from your local pharmacy.